Bachelor of Food Technology with Honours

Key facts

Available at Auckland

Available at Manawatū

Four years full-time

Available for international students studying in NZ

A unique degree in Australasia

Massey University’s Bachelor of Food Technology with Honours is the only degree in Australasia that combines food science, food engineering and food business. 75% of our graduates have jobs within six months of graduating.

What is it like?

Food is an important part of our everyday life. The focus on health and wellbeing through food consumption is increasing. The world’s economies are looking for new ways to add value to raw produce and to provide safe and nutritious food to feed the worlds growing population.

All this adds up to excellent career opportunities, excellent salaries and an increasing demand for people with the skills you will gain by studying food technology.

A unique qualification

Massey University’s Bachelor of Food Technology with Honours has been producing graduates for the New Zealand and international food industries for more than 50 years.

It is the only degree in Australasia that combines food science, food engineering and food business. That gives you more than a food science degree - you’ll gain technology, engineering and business skills to apply your knowledge in the commercial world.

An internationally-recognised food technology programme

Your degree will be recognised internationally.

Both majors of the BFoodTech(Hons) programme are approved by the US-based Institute of Food Technologists (IFT).

The Food Process Engineering major is accredited by Engineering NZ as a professional engineering degree under the Washington Accord, an international agreement (equivalent to a four year engineering degree).

The Food Product Technology major is also accredited by Engineering NZ as a professional engineering degree under the Sydney Accord, an international agreement (equivalent to a three-year engineering degree).

Massey University is ranked as one of the top 50 universities worldwide for Food Science & Technology (out of 300), according to Shanghai Ranking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects.

In demand by employers

Many of Massey’s food technology graduates have jobs before they finish their qualification. Because of our international recognition you can work all around the world as well as in New Zealand.

Move straight into work

As a four-year programme, you will be able to move directly into key roles in the food industry (such as product development, process improvement or food engineering) without further training. A four-year programme is also great preparation for a research career if that interests you too.

Work on real food industry issues

Massey’s food technology programme teaches you the fundamental and applied food technology skills that you will need in your career. You learn not only in the classroom, but practical laboratory and workshop sessions that focus on real industry problems and solutions. You’ll get hands-on experience in industrial-standard food processing plants. Your lecturers are active researchers, with many having worked in the New Zealand and international food industries.

For instance in your first year you will work on a problem set in the future and come up with creative solutions to that problem. You are required to present your work in this course on a website that you create, which is viewed by potential clients. Some fantastic websites have been developed out of this project. This gives you valuable skills in communicating your work.

More work experience during your study

The Massey food technology degree is very applied. In the final year of your study you will work with industry in industry-sponsored projects, working closely with that industry. You will help to solve real-world problems and help the businesses you are working with.

At Massey you are also required to complete 900 hours of approved summer vacation employment (over three summer breaks) in the food industry. This is more than other food qualifications in New Zealand and means that you come out with a broader understanding of the food industry, some great experiences for your CV and you will be ready to start work from the day you graduate.

Majors

The study of food technology is science and engineering-based. It combines fundamental sciences, mathematics and statistics, and the more applied sciences and engineering with business and management.

More than 50% of this programme is fully-focused on food.

There are two majors in the Bachelor of Food Technology with Honours degree:

Food Product Technology - you will learn how to lead and manage food product development from idea generation to product launch

Food Process Engineering - In this major you will focus on engineering principles, learning how to design processes and use technology to create effective food production systems

Although you do need to choose one of these majors at enrolment, you can change your mind as you learn more about the food industry during your study. You have until half-way through your third year to make your final specialisation choice.

Scholarships

There are a number of scholarships you can apply for to help fund your study in this programme, including the Sir James Scholarship for Food Technology, Hubbards Foods Ltd Food Technology Scholarships, Edna Waddell Undergraduate Scholarships for Women in Technology and Engineering, Fonterra Research and Development Centre Scholarship, Beef and Lamb and Dairy NZ scholarships.

Find out more about food technology scholarships through our scholarship search. Simply enter in ‘food technology’ to get the latest list of options.

Majors or endorsements

A good fit if you:

Want an exciting career in New Zealand’s main food and beverage industry

Enjoy sciences and are interested in engineering

Want to know about the technology used to make food, the engineering behind it.

Are interested in progressing to management, or starting your own business

Lachlan Kendrick

Bachelor of Food Technology with Honours

Graduated in 2015

Specifications Technology, Danone Nutricia - Early Life Nutrition

“Food Technology turned out to be much more than what I had originally expected it to be, but in a good way!…”

For me food technology was a natural path to follow after leaving secondary school. It appeared to be a combination of what I was already studying - science, mathematics and design (to some extent).

The food technology course itself was at times very demanding, but at the same time incredibly interesting and quite diverse in terms of content. Studying food technology not only increased my technical expertise in multiple fields, but it also prepared me for working in industry by developing my presentation, teamwork, project management skills and more.

One of the best things I did during my study was join TECHENSOC (Technology & Engineering Society) which is a student-run group that holds monthly events including pub quizzes, balls, pub crawls and many other social events. Was a great way to socialise and make friends!

Shortly after graduating I applied for a role at Nutricia. To be honest, at this point I had no idea what the company was. After performing some background research I found that they produced a range of infant formulas including the Karicare and Aptamil brands. Also that Nutricia’s parent company was Danone, which is present in over 140 different countries. The possibility of working for such a large company was very compelling!

Danone is a company bursting with opportunity! Shortly after joining I was flown to our R&D centre based in Utrecht (Netherlands) for training on my new position. Danone also hosts its own soccer world cup every two years and this year I was fortunate enough to represent our New Zealand team in Australia.

It feels great to be part of a company that exists for the sole purpose of delivering health through food to as many people as possible. Today in a world ridden with obesity, disease and allergy I really do feel empowered within my job knowing that we are making a difference for the good and health of humanity all over the world. There are so many possibilities for growth and development within Danone.

Careers

There is a wide range of employment opportunities when you graduate with your Bachelor of Food Technology with Honours in New Zealand and around the world.

Rapid progression to management

Career progression in the food industry can be rapid. You may start out in your career with a technical role - often the stepping stones to senior management and leadership positions in the industry, or you could set up your own business.

Sought-after by employers

With your Bachelor of Food Technology with Honours from Massey University, you will be sought after by the food industry.

Massey graduates are renowned for their ability to co-ordinate product development, process development, quality management and production management. They are also known for their ability to become specialists in specific technical areas such as food microbiology, food chemistry and packaging technology.

The wide variety of roles in the food technology industry include:

Food technologist - researching new foods and drinks and developing new products, packaging or processes.

Product development technologist - specifically working on developing a new product from concept to product.

Others include quality manager, food safety manager, production team leader, technical sales and support, winemaker or brewer, food microbiologist or food chemist. Or you could further your studies with a postgraduate research project, or become a teacher.

Industry endorsements

Megan Sinclair

New Product Development Manager Whittakers, Wellington, New Zealand

“The Massey BFoodtech grad we have employed is working out very well.

I am very appreciative of her level of understanding around processing/ engineering and manufacturing. We have just launched a new and improved caramel that is selling really well and her dedication to understanding all the different processing parameters / outcomes and troubleshooting has been excellent. Her ability to confront problems with an analytical approach is a reflection on the high level of teaching Massey University provides to its students.”